1 Lecture 3: Contextual Analysis Brad Myers / / : Introduction to Human Computer Interaction for Technology Executives Fall, 2012, Mini 2 © Brad Myers

2 Defining the Tasks In a real Contextual Inquiry, user decides the tasks Investigate real-world tasks, needs, context But you still must decide the focus What tasks you want to observe That are relevant to your product plan But for Assignment 1, you will have to invent some tasks © Brad Myers

3 Test Tasks Task design is difficult part of usability testing Representative of “real” tasks Sufficiently realistic and compelling so users are motivated to finish Can let users create their own tasks if relevant Appropriate difficulty and coverage Should last about 2 min. for expert, less than 30 min. for novice Short enough to be finished, but not trivial Tasks not humorous, frivolous, or offensive Easy task first, progressively harder But better if independent Remember: Not asking their opinions © Brad Myers

Initial Questions for the Users Find out the context through initial questions When would you normally do this kind of task? Who would be involved in making the decisions? What would influence any decisions? How would you know what to do? What information would you use to help decide? 4© Brad Myers

5 Test Script Useful to have a script Make sure say everything you want Make sure all users get same instructions Should read instructions out loud Ask if users have any questions Make sure instructions provide goals only in a general way, and doesn’t give away information Describe the result and not the steps Avoid product names and technical terms that appear on the web site Don’t give away the vocabulary Example: “The clock should have the right time”; not: “Use the hours and minutes buttons to set the time” © Brad Myers

6 Example of CI Video of sample session with a eCommerce site: Issues to observe Interview of work in progress, in “context” Actual session of doing a task Not an interview asking about possible tasks, etc. Note that focusing on expert behavior & breakdowns Questions to clarify about routine, motivations Why do certain actions: need intent for actions Notice problems (“breakdowns”) Notice what happens that causes users to do something (“triggers”) E.g. appearance of error messages, other feedback, external events (phone ringing), etc. © Brad Myers

7 Screen shots of important points in video © Brad Myers

8 What to do with all the data? How organize and use data from contextual inquiry? Recommended technique: Use Graphical Models (diagrams) Integrate Summarize Point back to the data Help inspire and guide design Provide shared focus Provide an intermediate deliverable outside design team “Opinions are cheap but insights are priceless.” © Brad Myers

9 Why Graphical? Displays whole picture at once Reveals patterns Forces summarization and conciseness Multiple models provides different perspectives © Brad Myers

Analysis Beyer & Holtzblatt call this process “Contextual Design” But Hartson & Pyla call it “Analysis” Better name! Hartson & Pyla recommend doing a Work Activity Affinity Diagram (WAAD) first, but we go right from data  models Affinity diagrams are more important for teams and when there are lots of ideas You will make the models directly from your transcripts 10© Brad Myers

11 Models: Flow Model Communication and coordination necessary to perform task Social / Cultural Model Constraints on work due to policy, culture, or values Artifact Model Physical things used and created Physical Model Layout of work environment as it affects the work. Sequence / Step-by-Step Model Detailed work steps Sequence in Beyer & Holtzblatt expanded in multiple models “Step by Step Task Interaction Model” © Brad Myers

More Models Other models are in Hartson & Pyla but not covered further here (not in homeworks or on exam) Task decompositions Usage Scenarios (narratives about tasks) Essential Use Cases (user and system steps) Information Object Models (information needed and generated) Providing both “current” and “envisioned” versions of the models We are only doing the current version 12© Brad Myers

13 In ALL Models ALWAYS label everything you put on the model with the line-number in the transcript (or time on the video/audio, if no transcript). This allows you to get back to the raw data to see if a different interpretation is possible. If there is no pointer back, then it is an unsupported Assumption and subject to additional scrutiny. Don’t make things up – show only what is available in the data © Brad Myers

14 “Breakdowns” / “Barriers” Problems that interfere with normal operation Represented in most models Key opportunities and issues for design Often shown in red with a “lightning bolt” Can’t see the screen © Brad Myers

15 Additional Example New example: Giving a presentation From our paper: Karen Cross, Adrienne Warmack, and Brad Myers. "Lessons Learned: Using Contextual Inquiry Analysis to Improve PDA Control of Presentations“ Results influenced design of SlideShow Commander remote control product for mobile phones Used in the Hartson-Pyla textbook © Brad Myers

16 Flow Model Communication and coordination necessary to perform tasks Work flow Who talks to whom? Who gives what to whom? Key roles of individuals or groups Key responsibilities of that person with respect to the tasks Flow of communication and artifacts, shown as arrows Artifacts passed around Actions along the way Places that things or people go Breakdowns © Brad Myers

17 Flow Model structure Circles = people or groups by role Maybe add icons Boxes = things (artifacts), places, files, etc. Arrows = flow Red lightening bolts = breakdowns Times refer to time codes in video Could also refer to lines of a transcript For homework, approximate times are OK “(A)” = Assumption = interpretation Note: not for team-member's opinions about the UI Instead (A) is for assumptions about what user did Note: you (interviewer) are never in any model © Brad Myers

18 Flow Model components General How do job responsibilities get assigned to people? How do they get help? How do new tasks get assigned, and how are they carried out? Coordination: where did each artifact come from and where does it go? Problems with coordination: forgetting, timing, steps Creates the “bird’s eye view” of organizational structure Web NOT flow chart of pages visited How information and command flow among the site(s) © Brad Myers

19 Flow Model Example (CDW) © Brad Myers

Flow Model Example (SSC) Fig 6-8 in text 20© Brad Myers

21 Social Model Beyer & Holtzblatt call this “Cultural Model” Culture of organization, family, community defines expectations, desires, policies, values and approach “Culture is as invisible as water to a fish” Pervasive, inescapable; yet invisible and intangible Types of influences: Formal and informal policies Power of individuals and groups over each other Values of company or team Work domain constraints Group’s sense of identity People’s emotions about what they do The style, values and preferences of individuals or teams More examples of what goes on social model: When acceptable to use a recording device What friends might think © Brad Myers

22 Social Model Structure Ovals for “Influencers”: individuals or groups, internal or external Thought bubbles for feelings/concerns that they actually expressed Arrows for direction of influence Labels for samples of dialog showing type of influence and attitudes Worded as commands Also show “pushback” – influence in other direction Breakdowns In relationships among people No need to repeat previously shown problems NOTE: Not allowed to make stuff up! Just what you actually have data to support! © Brad Myers

23 Social Model Contents What to put into cultural model for appliances: Context of use: when used, other people around, whether OK to record other people, what it looks like Feelings: proud to own it, embarrassed Influences: why buy one vs. another, qualities desired But need data to support all claims From initial interview questions or other evidence Can’t just make stuff up! © Brad Myers

Social Model Example (CDW) 24 User Secretary CDW/CDWG Students Computing Facilities Handle my small purchases (0:25) Orders wrong item (A) I will make my own purchases when I want a specific item (0:28) Handle my large purchases (0:20) Takes too long to make a purchase (A) Buy us the equipment we need (0:09) Provide me with reliable service and good prices (0:43) © Brad Myers -Want to get right unit (0:28) - Reliability is important (0:42) -Good prices are important (0:46)

Social Model Example (SSC) Fig 6-6 from text 25

26 Artifact Model Artifacts: What people create, modify and use as part of tasks Reveal traces of people’s work practices Examples: Handwritten notes and signatures on hardcopy project plans -> information flow and approval Fancy formatting on spreadsheet -> looks are important Screen shots showing problematic features Model = drawing, photograph or copy of real artifact Annotate with observations © Brad Myers

27 Artifact Model Examples (CCW) Inconsistent placement of “Add to Cart” buttons (1:52, 6:23) Confusing label (07:22) Search results are too long, and categories labels should start with differentiating word (1:46) © Brad Myers

28 Physical Model Way the physical environment affects tasks E.g, placement of items on a desk Proximity of printers Can’t hold a device with a keyboard while standing up In presentation example, where people are and layout of environment Note: Physical model not always relevant or needed Seems less important for web, unless mobile Not required for homework 1, but please do one if environment affects your system © Brad Myers

29 Components of Physical Model Places in which work occurs Physical structures which limit or define the space Usage and movement within the space Hardware and other artifacts used Layout of tools and artifacts Positions of people within environment Breakdowns due to physical environment © Brad Myers

30 Physical Model, example © Brad Myers

31 Beyer&Holtzblatt’s Sequence Model Similar to Hartson&Pyla’s “Step-by-Step Task Interaction Model” Steps taken to complete a task Triggers that cause the step to happen E.g., at a particular time; when something else happens Intent is key to understanding the steps Also called the goal Why each step is performed, and why in that order Arrows to show order of the steps Can have loops Breakdowns in communication or coordination (Note: this model not in homeworks or exam) © Brad Myers

32 Sequence Model Components Can choose level of detail depending on focus (what investigating) E.g., for writing a letter: High-level (functional level): Find most recent letter written to same person, open it, delete date, replace with new date, delete contents, type new contents, … Low level (user interface level): Switch windows explorer to details view, Sort files by date, double-click on top item, check “To:” to see if correct person, click and drag across date field, … Notice hesitations and errors Interrupt and ask why or what expected © Brad Myers

33 Sequence Model example

Hartson&Pyla’s Task Structure Models Their replacement for Sequence Model Tasks that need to be supported by the system You need to decide the important tasks in order to: Optimize interface & design – what is important? Design user study tasks – what will participants do? Understanding tasks can help with better designs because organize UI by task, not by function What to do, not how Information needs – what need to know to do task Unlike sequence models, task models try to capture all requirements, not just the ones in the data 34© Brad Myers

Hartson&Pyla’s Hierarchical Task Inventory Hierarchical Task Inventory (HTI) shows tasks and subtasks Doing a subtask is part of doing the parent task 35

36 Creating Models Create models generalizing over all interviewees “Consolidated” models Barrier summaries Key Idea: Induce generalizations from concrete data Don’t rely on intuition alone Don’t deduce from logical abstractions Example:  Logic says system manager will diagnose the reason behind a system failure. Actual practice: System manager tries standard fixes first (like reboot) & diagnoses only if necessary Main goal: Deduce the intent © Brad Myers

37 What To Do With Models User data drives innovation Solve problems (breakdowns) identified in models Grounded brainstorming Flow model Eliminate flows, roles, redundant data entry Social / Cultural model Increase communication, reinforce positive values Artifact model: Guide requirements, metaphors, remove screen problems Physical model: Depend only on what is available, reduce motion, improve flow of artifacts Sequence model: Eliminate, automate steps © Brad Myers